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2005-10-12

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Superstrong Polyethylene Fiber Plays Key Role for Armored Vehicles

Seattle, WA, USA -- (Jobwerx News) -- Tactical vehicle armor protection is a high priority and a new polyethylene fiber is designed to protect cab occupants from direct fire and mine improvised explosive device threats.

DSM Dyneema announced that they will play a key role in new armored models of the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) manufactured by Stewart & Stevenson Tactical Vehicles, LP (Sealy, Texas). Supplied to the U.S. Army and other customers worldwide, FMTV vehicles are often deployed in harm's way. The new armoring, designed to protect cab occupants from direct fire and mine/improvised explosive device (IED) threat, benefits from the light weight, cost effectiveness and formability of Dyneema® HB25 components. The armor was jointly developed by DSM Dyneema, Stewart & Stevenson and Composix Co. (Newark, Ohio).

One vehicle based on the FMTV, fitted with the new armor, was scheduled to be introduced by a prime contractor at the 2005 Association of the US Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting & Exposition, Washington DC, 3-5 October.

“Vehicle armor has become a high priority,” said Larry Dickson, Vice President of Composix. “Five years ago, metal plate would have been the option, but that’s far too heavy. Dyneema® gave us the ability to offer armor that exceeded the performance requirements but still at the specified weight.”

"DSM Dyneema is pleased that Dyneema® HB25 was the only material to meet both ballistic and weight specifications," said David Cordova, Vice President, Life Protection for DSM Dyneema. "In this project, our collaborative product engineering model resulted in new processing methods to maximize the performance of Dyneema® as part of a comprehensive armoring system."

The joint armor development program was completed in record time. DSM Dyneema contributed materials expertise; Composix Co. drew on its experience in forming vehicle armor, including armor for the HMMWV and the US Marine Corps Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle; and Stewart & Stevenson brought extensive conflict-ready vehicle engineering.

DSM Vehicle Armor - HIMARS. Click on Photo for High Resolution Image

While exact armor configuration and performance are classified information, the objective of vehicle protection is to prevent penetration into the cab of both direct and indirect arms fire, mine as well as explosive device and artillery fragments. In addition to light weight, the armor must be easily and cost-effectively formed into shapes specific to each truck type's cab and controls configuration.

Dyneema® is an easily-formed, super-strong polyethylene (PE) based material that contributes to the effectiveness of a broad range of personal and vehicle protection systems globally. Dyneema® resists cutting, abrasion and penetration, and is for practical purposes chemically inert.

The FMTV family of vehicles includes sixteen variants on two basic platforms, the 4 X 4 Light Medium Tactical Vehicle (LMTV) and the 6 X 6 Medium Tactical Vehicle (MTV). The FMTV has set new worldwide tactical vehicle standards for capability, reliability, mobility, and transportability, and continues to boast the highest percent availability of any vehicle in the U.S. Army tactical vehicle fleet.

DSM Dyneema is the inventor and manufacturer of Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber. Dyneema® is a superstrong polyethylene fiber that offers maximum strength combined with minimum weight. It is up to 15 times stronger than quality steel and up to 40% stronger than aramid fibers, both on weight for weight basis. Dyneema® floats on water and is extremely durable and resistant to moisture, UV light and chemicals. The applications are therefore more or less unlimited. Dyneema® is an important component in ropes, cables and nets in the fishing, shipping and offshore industries. Dyneema® is also used in safety gloves for the metalworking industry and in fine yarns for applications in sporting goods and the medical sector. In addition, Dyneema® is also used in bullet resistant armor and clothing for police and military personnel.

Dyneema® is produced in Heerlen (The Netherlands) and in Greenville, North Carolina (U.S.A.). DSM Dyneema is also a partner in a joint venture with Toyobo, which produces Dyneema® in Osaka (Japan). Dyneema® is a registered trademark of Royal DSM N.V.

DSM is active worldwide in life science products, performance materials and industrial chemicals. The group develops, produces and markets innovative products and services that are designed to raise the quality of life. DSM’s products are used in a wide range of end-use markets and applications, including human and animal nutrition and health, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, the automotive industry, coatings, the construction industry and the electrics & electronics market.

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